Signs of Life
by tchingchow
Summary: It isn't on a dark and stormy night. it IS the dark and stormy night. in less than a week, goals are smeared away, dreams cut off by one of the sources humankind has come to depend on for inspiration and for living...rain.
1. Chapter 1: Storm

_Disclaimer:me no own rockman.exe_

_i must again thank jhvh777 for beta-reading...merci beaucoup!_

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Signs of Life  
__Chapter 1: Storm_**

_Crack-_BOOM!

Netto flew wide-awake in the middle of the night to be greeted by the sight of sheets of rain spilling off of the roof and onto the quickly muddying ground below, outside of his window. The deafening sound of rain against the window and roof prevented Netto from drifting back to the land of Nod.

Another flash of light.

Then followed a second later by another

_Crack_-BOOM!  
Netto shuddered and reached over and got his PET, clutching it closely to his chest. He then pulled his quilted comforter higher onto his shoulders and waited for himself to become drowsy. Sleep never came to him

A flash, and not a nanosecond later:

_Crack-_BOOM!

Then another loud crash caught Netto's attention. A tree not 10 yards away split clan in half and fell over. The poor boy's eyes were wider than saucers as he pulled his covers even closer.

"That was so close by…" Netto thought.

"Netto-kun?" Rockman's voice said slowly.

"Ne, Rockman?"

"Are you alright?"

Netto didn't answer and Rockman fell silent in understanding.

More rain, pouring and hammering at the Hikari's rooftop. Netto began imagining things in the darkness, and began to believe that beasts were outside, trying to claw their way to him. Hideous, distorted, shadowy, and grossly mutated forms, moaning and groaning his name. Needless to say, Netto's heart rate considerably sped and his breaths were short.

A whimper escaped Netto unexpectedly.

"Netto-kun? Just close your eyes. I'll always be here to protect you, okay?" said Rockman.

"Arigatou, Rockman."

Feeling slightly safer, Netto shut his eyes and let sleep take over. In the corner of his room, his mother smiled at her sleeping son before returning to her own room.

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_please read and review. i kinda wanna kno what you all think of it. i'v finished the 2nd chapter which i'll put up if this gets some reviews. until then...cya!_


	2. Chapter 2: Flood

_Disclaimer: i don't own rockman.exe. simple enough? _

heyas. thank yu ppl who reviewed...tis veeleey appreciated... Now on w/the story cause i'm sure that's what u came hear to read, rite?

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Signs of Life  
**Chapter 2: Flood _

"Flood warnings are going up all over Densan City because of this gigantic storm system that persists in the area. Barometer readings show that the storm will remain over the city, and it is not showing signs of stopping. In fact, officials are already considering evacuations in the next 24-48 hours," Kero reported from televisions throughout the city.

Netto shut off the television and closed his eyes, letting himself just sink into the erratic drumming of raindrops.

"News around here just doesn't get any better than this, does it," Netto muttered grumpily.

"C'mon, Netto-kun. Get ready for school."

"Hai, Rockman."

Netto rose from his warmed spot on the couch reluctantly and lumbered to the kitchen. After about a half hour, Netto grabbed an umbrella and opened the front door. He stared at the ½ inch of rain that had already begun to flood the streets.

Taking a deep breath, Netto resolutely stepped outside, hollering a goodbye to his mother and walking into the storm. Another 10 minutes passed and he found himself at the steps of Akihara elementary school, socks and shoes completely soaked through.

Squeaks rebounded against the walls of the not-yet-filled hallway. Netto could hear the slight squashing noise that his socks made when he treaded on them, and it was almost like walking on a sponge. After stopping at the restroom in hopes of drying himself off, he walked to his classroom. The first bell rang and Netto arrived in class moments before the second.

"What a glorious surprise to see you on time!" Mariko-sensei glowed, "Tell me your secret, Rockman!" she added teasingly.

Netto smirked and sat down in his seat.

---

By lunchtime, the water had risen to almost a foot and was climbing quickly. To make matters worse, the rainstorm was strengthening into a hurricane, according to News Alerts sent out from DNN.

Many were now told to evacuate, but Netto's school was told to simply stay put and get onto higher levels of the school. There was no way the school could allow the students to go home in case of a flash flood.

"Netto-kun, the storm is going to get much worse!" said Rockman, anxious and concerned for his netop's safety.

"I know, Rockman…" he thought for a moment. Suddenly, inspiration hit him on the head.

"Wait, Rockman, if we ask Meijin-san to put up a dimensional area around Densan city, we'll all be safe, _and_ we can help people in crossfusion."

"Oh god, Netto. You're right!"

"Contact Meijin-san…and quickly!"

Rockman did so and not long after, several trucks plowed through water over a foot and a half feet deep. Noisy, ugly and polluting trucks through putrid and debris-filled waters. Multicolored hexagons formed as dimensional generators constructed a shield over the city. The heavy rain and winds now hit the dimensional area wall and spilled down the sides.

"Netto, you're a genius!' Meijin cried.

The boy scratched the back of his head, "Yeah, I know."

Rockman rolled his eyes before turning his attention back to the flooded city.

"Netto-kun, we have to crossfuse so we can help anyone who's been trapped by the water."

"Hai, Rockman. Let's go, Synchrochip in, and download!"

R Rockman and leapt up in the air and landed with a splash into the water that was nearly up to his waist.

"Over here, Netto!" cried Rockman.

"Where?"

A toddler sprawled on a floating doorframe moved down the wide street R Rockman wide strokes over to it, but couldn't quite get close enough to it.

"Aqua-soul, navi chip in!"

R Rockman's helmet and shoulder pads were filled with liquid and his navi structure becomes water based. His body back on his back became blue jets. Once these activated, he sped over to the toddler with ease, snatching him from his raft to hell.

"Hi, I'm Netto and I'll be your floatie today, okay?"

"…Net-toh…?' The child repeated, and then broke into a cheeky grin, happily clinging onto R Rockman.

"Area Steal!" R Rockman cried.

From these waters, he disappeared, and then reappeared on a rooftop. There, he proceeded to jump from roof to roof until they reached safety.

"You doin' okay, little fella?"

The boy giggled and nodded happily.

"Mama!" he squealed, releasing his grip around R Rockman's neck.

"W-what?" the sudden movement caught Netto off guard just before he was about to leap between two buildings. A loose shingle gave way and Netto slipped.

"SHIMATTA!"

Instinctively, Netto turned onto his back to break the child's fall and protect him. He winced as he glanced at the shards of debris and broken glass from broken windows floating below him.

"Grass Panel!" a voice called.

"Wha-agh!" R Rockman fell onto soft grass.

"You alright?" Netto asked.

And again, the child nodded with his eyes on their rescuer whose shadow had fallen upon the two.

"E-Enzan?"

"You didn't think I'd let you fall like that, did you?"

"Heh, good timing, Enzan."

"Sankyu!" cheered a small voice from Netto's arms.

"You went through all that to rescue him?"

R Rockman looked sheepish, "Yeah…"

"Hi there," said R Blues, "What is your name?"

"Riku!" the adorable boy replied.

"Well Riku, let's get you back to your family, shall we?" said R Blues.

Riku smiled and pointed, "Mama!"

Netto followed the two-year-old's direction to see a young woman with another child.

"Is that your Mama?" he asked.

Riku cocked his head, still grinning.

"Yes, no?"

He shook his head, causing R Rockman and R Blues to do anime falls.

"Well, we better get a move on," said R Blues. The flowing flood through Densan city's streets was slowly eroding the small island formed from Enzan's battle chip.

"Enzan, why don't you help that lady and I'll meet you with Riku at SciLabs, okay?"

"Sure. See you there, and make sure you get back to SciLabs alive."

R Rockman nodded and leapt on top of a parked truck. With a yo-yo battle chip, he was back on the rooftops going to SciLabs.

"Hi there, ma'am. I'm here to help you…"

"Oh, gomen-nasai! Bless you dear," the immediately relieved woman exclaimed.

---

R Rockman and R Blues returned to SciLabs, R Blues later on with the woman and her child.

"Netto, Enzan, I have bad news," said Meijin just before they were leaving to help more people.

"What is it, Meijin-san?"

"The Dimensional Area generators are weakening against the storm and it could fail at any time if the storm gets stronger."

"Shit, that's no good," said R Rockman, "But people are still out there who need our help…"

"We gotta keep saving people as fast as we can and till we get everyone to safety, now more than ever," said Rockman.

"Hai, Rockman's right," agreed Enzan, "Let's go, Netto!"

"Alright then, boys. I think you've made a good choice. Good luck!" said Meijin.

"See ya, Meijin-san!"

"San wa iranai…"muttered Meijin, "And be safe you two."

There was a tug at the man's white lab coat. He looked down into gray-blue irises.

"Where Ne-toh go?"

Meijin chuckled and scooped up the youngster, "Don't worry about Netto. He'll be back soon…" and he added under his breath, "I hope."

_

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okay now...REVIEW! _


	3. Chapter 3: Broken

_Disclaimer: if i said i owned it, you'd sue me, but if yu sued me, you'd hafta kno my name...and then i'd have to kill you...oh wait, but yu all kno my name already...umm..._

_hey guys...bak w/another chapter...sry if this is a let down compared to the other chapters...midterms kill brain cells, i swear. anywaizz, em, well, enjoy as best as yu can, and if yu dun lyk it, grit yur teeth, read on, and review...ideally in a positive way! ehehe...yea and i also replaced my chapter 2 and worked out a few gunky things...yup!_

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_**Signs of Life**  
Chapter 3: Broken_

"eeELP! HHELP ME! uuUNNG! 'ELP! nnnNOOo!" came the cry from a person with slurred speech.

R Rockman and R Blues who had been leaping from car top to car top paused at the cry and followed the continued wails until they found the source. A boy of about sixteen in water up to his waist looked up from his cries for help as the two leaped in the open window.

"You alright sir?"

The other boy moaned (a/n: he's mentally retarded, not drunk.), "I…help, need help! Help! H-he need help! Help! Henhhh…"

R Blues looked to where the teen was pointing. In one part of the room was an unconscious man in a wheel chair with a gash down his cheek, blackened eyes, and clothes swathed in some areas by blood. R Blues and R Rockman immediately set to work, checking first for a pulse and respiration. When both had been established, they began helping the man out of the chair and to the exit. The other boy began tugging at his hair in distress, moaning to himself. He lumbered over to a table near the wheelchair of the bleeding man that remained unsubmerged. Curling up on it, he began rocking back and forth to ease his discomfort.

"Careful Netto," said R Blues, "On three, one, two, three!"

The boys lifted the man up and began making their way to the exit. R Rockman then waved the older boy over.

"Come on, you!"

He kept rocking.

"Come on! We don't have time for this!" cried R Rockman in frustration. He tried again, "…onegai?"

No response still.

R Rockman hit his forehead with the thumbed side of one fist before speaking again.

"Enzan, try to get as far as you can with him. I'll get our little buddy over there."

Shifting his body to adjust to the new weight, Enzan began to drag the unconscious man. Meanwhile, R Rockman waded over to the other teen.

"Hey there, wanna get a move on?" R Rockman coaxed, pulling at the boy's arm, "C'mon, let's go!"

"Go?" the boy began rubbing his fingers along his thumb with anxiety, "Go…go home…home. I want home…gone. All gone. It gone…home…go home…"

R Rockman's brown eyes softened in sympathy.

"Let's go, pal. We've got to get out of here," he said in a gentler voice.

Succumbing to kindness, the teen unfurled from his fetal position and followed clumsily after R Rockman.

"What's your name, by the way?" asked R Rockman as they caught up with Enzan.

"Name…my naaame, naaaame is Daehk…keey…Daikeey…"

"Daiki?" R Rockman inquired as he took his share of the unconscious man's weight back form R Blues.

Daiki was silent.

"Well, my name's Netto, and this is Enzan," said R Rockman.

"Neddo an Ensssan?"

The duo nodded.

"So Daiki, who's this guy?" asked R Blues when they neared the stairs to the door outside.

"His naame…nii…nii-san…Yuutoh."

"Yuuto-nii-san?" asked R Blues, "Is that what you meant?"

There was no reply, for Daiki's attention was now averted to the outside where the slow flow of water was dragging debris with it.

"Okay, we're outside," exclaimed R Rockman, "Now we can use our Condor chips!"

"My thoughts exactly," replied R Blues, "You ready Netto?"

"Sure as heck; let's go!"

"Condor, battle chip in, double download!"

Two condor viruses appeared under them, one carrying R Blues and Yuuto, the other holding Daiki and R Rockman.

"Hang on, Daiki!" said Netto. The other boy screeched in joy and exhilaration.

"Netto!" R Blues called, "Don't do an Icarus! If you fly too high, the DA might fail and we would fall. A hard landing and that river would be the only things waiting for us. At the same time, don't fly too low for obvious reasons."

"Of course, Enzan," Netto yelled back, "Let's get back to SciLabs!"

---

_(Densan Weather Center)_

"Hey man, wake up!"

"Zz…huh? Nani?"

A printed atmospheric chart was shoved into the drowsy man's face. As he sat up and examined it, his eyes flew wide.

"The storm's getting worse? Iya…_(this is bad)_ Contact SciLabs immediately! How long have you known this?"

"About 10 minutes…why?"

The previously sleeping man's face became petrified with horror.

"The storm was due," he said in a low voice, "to become violent enough to disable the Dimensional Area…in eleven and a half…."

---

A drop of rain hit R Rockman's nose.

"Kuso…ENZAN, FLY LOW! THE DA'S GIVING!"

R Blues swore before ducking about a foot from the water's surface. With a small splash, the four landed in the water as R Rockman and R Blues de-fused.

Rain and fierce winds all too quickly began raging again against Densan City, raising the floodwaters higher. Screams of panic began to rise from different buildings as the winds tore whole buildings apart. Glass shattered everywhere, like fragile tissue paper against the knife of the hurricane.

"Calm down, Daiki. I got you alright?" explained Netto to a shrieking and thrashing Daiki.

"Hey Netto, what's that?" asked Enzan pointing to something coming towards them.

Netto squinted at the object, "It's…."

(a/n: omg that would'v been an AWESOME spot to leave u guys…damn)

"…it's…is that Laika?"

A predominantly green figure stood on the bow of a small white rescue ship.

"HALLELUJAH, WE'RE SAVED!" shouted Netto.

Enzan rolled his eyes and began swimming with Yuuto to the ship in a sidestroke. Netto soon followed with Daiki and before long, they found themselves before the boat's hull, where they were thrown a ladder. Several men climbed down on separate ladders to help and they eventually got to the deck of the ship. From there, the doctors on board took in Yuuto. Daiki followed, adhering to his brother's side.

"Get inside!" Laika commanded, "The storm's not going to let up any time soon."

The two others got up shakily and shivered their way to the lower deck.

"Dry clothes!" Netto cheered as he came out of the bathroom in an extra set of clothes. Laika and Enzan chuckled as he joined them.

"So what do we do now?"

Silence.

And then a sigh.

"I say we just give up."

Netto stared at Enzan in surprise.

Another pause.

"Enza-"

"No. Don't try. What point is there in going on, when everything you've worked for is gone just like that? Do you know how many years it took for me to finally convince my father to let me become his vice president? Do you know how many all-nighters I've pulled or how many hours I've spent training with Blues? And it's all gone now. Utterly gone," he looked out at the desolate scene outside, "All of my efforts rendered completely useless by one goddamn storm."

Enzan paused from his ranting.

"And that's what you get for basing your life on your work," Laika muttered so that only Netto could hear.

"And you Netto, your entire house is probably flooded by now. All of your possessions, gone, all of your important documents, photographs, files…your parents too, if they weren't rescued-"

"Enzan, stop this!" Laika shouted.

"-Of course, you have nothing to lose Laika. _Your_ home's all the way up in Sharro, away from the storm and all."

Laika's face grew dark.

"Please, guys. Matte," Netto pleaded to his feuding friends.

A smack landed across Enzan's cheek from Laika, and Netto promptly left.

"Netto wait-" Laika called. He turned back to Enzan, "You should be ashamed of yourself."

He then started after Netto.

Enzan blinked before sighing and curling up on a chair nearby.

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_dun worry guys, Enzan's just havin' a bad day…He'll be bak to his old self soon, ok? _

review...pretty please?


	4. Chapter 4: Downhill

_Disclaimer: ur mom._

...i kid i kid. umm...i dun own it?

_i live! haha...sry for not updatin sooner. yea i bumped up the rating cause K+ dun allow "course language or adult themes"...not that i hav adult themes...but aye well. omg it's late. ok i'll stop this and start the chapter...AAAHHH u say, RUNAWAY! XP i'm really out of it..sry. gawd need sleep real bad. cyas_

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Signs of Life  
Chapter 4: Downhill **_

Two women lay down exhausted on a crudely made raft. Shingles were patched over thick tree branches tied together with rope taken as one of their provisions as the storm waters began to rise, and a few wooden boards they discovered. To shield themselves from the rain, the two of them had cut away the plastic covering someone's swimming pool and pulled it over the raft.

"Meiru, dear, how are you fairing?" Netto's mother panted.

"I think I'll be fine, Hikari-san. How about you?" Meiru replied, gasping for air.

It had taken great effort for these two to build that raft in their given time.

"I'll be fine, thank you."

"I wonder how Netto and the others are…" Meiru thought aloud.

"I'm sure he'll be fine. My son has been through so much…and of course he's of my blood," Hikari-hakase joked half-heartedly.

Meiru smiled weakly, as did Hikari-hakase. They had to be strong for each other, which meant keeping happy even in their situation. It meant that they had to use every ounce of their energy to keep each other alive, and to make sacrifices for each other. Preserving this thought in her mind, Meiru closed her eyes and rested.

---

"Netto?" Laika called. He walked towards the direction he thought Netto had gone in, and suddenly heard a dull thud and a muffled "Oomph!" followed by a bit of scuffling in a nearby closet. Half-heartedly, he smiled and went to open the door.

"Netto?" he asked softly.

"Hiya, Laika!" Netto replied, trying his best to fake a good mood with a smile. The other frowned, seeing right through Netto's veiled feelings.

"What is it Laika?" Netto asked.

The other teen studied Netto more closely and noticed the redness that rimmed his dark, umber eyes. Laika also noted that the other boy's disheveled hair, and that Netto had failed to completely dry away his tears since his cheeks still glistened slightly with tears. There were also a few spots on his clothes slightly darker than the rest, which Laika highly suspected were the other boy's own salty tears.

Netto shifted uncomfortably under Laika's gaze, and surreptitiously wiped at his cheek, discouraged to find it still damp.

''I can't believe this," Laika said at last, "You don't trust me enough to even tell me how you really feel?" he then added, "You do know that it's alright to cry, of course?"

The other party shifted again, hesitating before speaking, "But Laika, it's...I'm not…I'm not supposed to cry! It would be like I was admitting that I'm weak, and I just can't do that!"

"Nonsense!" Laika replied, "Sometimes, it can only take a true man to be strong enough to cry. There are times where it takes strength to cry, strength to defy the labeling and stereotypes of today's world. It takes power to overlook your pride as a man, or as just a human, and admit that you're weak. It is from there that you can build upon your weakness and make yourself even stronger. These are the people who can truly become iron hearted, because all of the others have yet to discover their weaknesses and tackle them."

The other frowned.

"But Laika, why doesn't it ever seem that way? I mean even you don't ever cry..." Netto felt tears threatening to sting at his eyes again.

"Hm, I guess I do sound hypocritical in that case," Laika smiled (a/n: omigawd :O), "I guess that's just more proof that I'm not as courageous as you can be now and again. I admire that sometimes."

The brown-haired boy sniffled and beamed, "You really think so?"

Laika nodded and smiled broadly, but Netto grew skeptical, "Laika, you're not just saying these things just to trick me, right?"

Chuckling, the taller teen shook his head and Netto smiled back with only a slight twinge of sadness this time.

"So you won't use this to poke fun at me later on?"

"I won't."

"And you won't tell Enzan either, will you?"

Laika patted Netto on the shoulder before proffering a hand and helping him up, "Speaking of Enzan, I believe that we should talk to him… something's obviously up with him."

"Yeah, let's go."

---

"Yuuichiro, we have to evacuate! Riku and all of the other workers have already prepared to leave! What on earth are you doing?" cried Meijin above the howling and thrashing of the storm through the shattered windows of Scilabs.

The other man was rapidly filling minidisks with information from computers still remaining, or was sending them to Scilabs stationed in other countries. He stood knee-deep in water even on the third floor of the building, with keyboards and hopelessly lost documents floating around him. Meijin sloshed through the water over to his long time friend and colleague.

"There's a boat coming, and we only have 15 minutes till it arrives, Yuuichiro! We have to leave!"

"Gomen, Meijin, but I have to save these documents! The other scientists here have worked so hard on these projects and there is no way that their work is going to waste!" Hikari-hakase replied.

Sighing, Meijin grabbed a stack of minidisks and began to help out in filling them with information. When fifteen minutes came, Meijin decided, he would have to drag the other man away from all of this.

---

Enzan woke up groggily, but kept his eyes closed. He could hear the soft din of two people's chatter.

"Netto, that was a pretty bad move on your part," said a voice that belonged to Laika.

"What! I've got you surrounded!"

"Keep your eyes open, Netto," Laika replied. There was a soft clink and a groan.

"Checkmate!"

"Cheater! I want a rematch!" Netto protested, slamming a fist onto the table.

Enzan opened his eyes then and sat up, leaning against the arm of the couch he had previously been sleeping on. The other two looked up from their game of chess expectantly.

" 'morning," he mumbled.

Laika's expression was stern, "Anything else you would like to say?"

Enzan looked perplexed for the moment before his memories of the day before replayed and dread and remorse returned. He groaned and rubbed at his eyes.

"Uh yeah, about that...um, look, I'm sorry, alright, Netto?...I prom-," Enzan winced, "okay, I'll at least try to make it up to you guys. I don't think I can really promise anything right now."

Netto blinked.

"Is something wrong, Enzan?" he asked.

Enzan looked to the side, chewing at his lower lip.

"Enzan-sama found out that IPC has lost a lot of money due to this hurricane," Blues suddenly spoke.

"BLUES!" Enzan cried.

"Gomen-nasai, Enzan-sama. But I think they should know, ne?"

"How much?" Laika asked.

"….Almost all of it…especially after the employees without their health insurance will start demanding that we pay for their medical expenses and then...It's just complicated…" Enzan said dryly.

"That sucks!" said Netto.

Laika, Enzan, their respective navies and Rockman all rolled their eyes.

"Hey, we're pulling up near SciLabs!" Netto exclaimed, pointing at the building they were approaching.

"Isn't your father there along with Meijin-san and the people who were rescued?"

"YEAH!" Netto clapped happily, "And I just know he has to be in there!"

---

"Honestly, Yuuichiro, it's time to go," Meijin yelled.

"Wait! There's Johnson's entire project to upload still! I absolutely cannot leave his project here! You go on without me!" Hikari-hakase shouted back.

"NO! We are going on that ship together, so you better finish up right now!" Meijin cried, "'Cause not only are you endangering your own life, you're also endangering mine!"  
"I didn't ask you to stay! Now leave! I'll make it in time!"  
"I'm not leaving until you do!"

"FINE then stay! Just know that I'm not leaving yet!"  
"Yuuichiro, be reasonable! We have to leave now! We need your brains and your presence more than we need the research, which can always be conducted again! You're wasting precious time!"

The other man refused to listen to reason and continued typing away, frantically filling and sending.

---

"NET-TOH!" a familiar voice squealed. Netto only had about a nanosecond before the small boy grabbed his leg and buried his face in Netto's thigh.

"Riku!" Netto returned the enthusiastic greeting by scooping him up and giving him a hug.

People from the fourth floor of SciLabs began to file onto the ship, grateful to be in a somewhat more secure vessel than the building. But none of these appeared to be his father. He attempted to put down Riku, who tensed and adamantly clung to his idol with a strength Netto never knew little children possessed.

Against the tide of people coming in, he searched for his father's face, but couldn't find that man with a lab coat and spectacles. The last person from that group boarded the ship but Netto still saw no sign of his father.

"Have you seen Hikari-hakase? My father? No? What about you, sir?" he asked the passengers who had just arrived. They all shook their heads in response, and Netto's heart felt like it had chosen to gain a few hundred pounds.

"He must be still inside," he murmured, running to the edge of the ship.

"Oi! Where do you think you're going with that boy, Netto?" cried Laika.

"Here, take him!" Netto replied, attempting again to pry Riku off, "My dad's still in there!"  
"Where are you going for that matter?"

"To find my dad!"

"NETTO! HAVE YOU GONE MAD?"

The bandana-donning boy couldn't hear, however, for he had already leapt into the building through the window. He found himself up to his chest in water and immediately began swimming towards the door to the next room.

"NET-TOH!" Riku wailed.

"Hush, he'll be alright," Laika tried to comfort the other boy who was squirming in his arms trying to get to Netto, "Wait here, okay? I'm going to go help him."

Laika lowered the child, but found that Riku's only interest was to leap in after Netto. After only barely snatching the boy up again, Laika went to go fetch Enzan to watch Riku while he went after Netto. After a few moments, he spotted the skunk haired boy.

"ENZAN!" he cried, "Netto's gone after his father and he's in the SciLab building right now!"  
"NANI? WHY THE HELL AREN'T YOU STOPPING HIM?" Enzan didn't wait for a response. He simply ran off of the ship and went after Netto.

---

"Yuuichiro, come on!" Meijin pulled at the scientist. They had since moved to the fourth floor because the computers had all been submerged on the third floor. (a/n: oh noes! Looks like poor Netto won't be finding them….:grins evily:)

"Alright alright, just as soon as I-"

"No! We are leaving now and that is final! Now get your things and let's go!"

Quickly, Dr. Hikari gathered up his stack of disks, they made their way to the other side of the building where the boat was to meet them.

---

"NETTO?" Enzan shouted when he arrived in the building, "NETTO WHERE ARE YOU?"

He took note of the other door and swam through calling Netto's name. The waters were rising quickly, almost up to his shoulders now. Enzan heard a splash from a room nearby and made a beeline towards the sound. At first he could not find the origin, but then a few air bubbles revealed that Netto had gone under.

"Shit, Netto. Laika, I told you not to let him go!" Enzan thought to himself as he grabbed the quickly sinking boy. He then made his way out of the building, dragging Netto with him.

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_sucky? i kno. hehe w/e. it'll get better, i hope. Review anyways, plz!_


	5. Chapter 5: Progress?

_Disclaimer: I own the stuff that I eat…so if I ate Rockman.exe, would I technically own it?_

_AAHHH! I SUCK! I'M SORRY GUYS! Or was I doing you a favor by leaving you all alone for a while? Either way…I just couldn't find anything to write about, so sorry if this sucks. I already know it does. So sorry guys. I'll get this out of the way soon and leave y'all alone. Okeey? _

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Signs of Life  
__Chapter 5: Progress?_**

_"In the six hundredth year of Noah's life on the seventeenth day of the second month on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth and the flood-gates of the heavens were opened. And rain fell on the earth for forty days and forty nights…for forty days the flood kept coming on the earth and as the waters increased, they lifted the ark high above the earth…Every living thing that moved on the earth perished- birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth and all of mankind. Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died." Genesis 7:11-23_

"Ahem," came a voice over the loudspeaker onboard, "This ship will resume its course in about a minute. Please settle down and wait patiently until further no-"

"Wait! You can't! There are still people in there including Netto and Enz-"

"-WAAAAHHH! Net-toh! Riku want Net-toh! Waaahhhhh!"

A few eyebrows raised as the two new voices interrupted the announcement. One being Laika's anxious voice and the other being the wailing of Riku.

Enzan spluttered and gasped for another breath.

"Stop fooling around!" he mentally scolded himself, "Netto needs help; now focus!"

He filled his lungs with one last long breath before ducking back into the water, dragging Netto with him to the exit. It seemed like no matter how quick or frantic his strokes were, he couldn't quite feel like he was swimming fast enough. The next moments stretched into an eternity of panicked, and furious swimming, never progressing towards the exit. At last, Enzan reached and climbed back out the window he came from. His relief was short lived however, for he had emerged to find the boat moving away.

"KUSO! LAIKA! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?" Enzan yelled in frustration.

Laika dashed out of the cabin of the ship with a flotation ring, which he threw with precision at Enzan. A few people volunteered themselves in hauling the two of them in.

"Someone call the doctors on board! Netto needs them right now!" Laika yelled as Enzan threw a very wet Netto onto the deck. Two men came out of the lower area of the ship with a stretcher and swiftly brought Netto to the nursing area.

"Should we follow them?" Enzan asked.

"I don't think that would be wise. They need their space, and we'll find out how Netto is soon enough," Laika replied.

"NET-TOH!" Riku cried, running after the medical attendants.

"Sorry little fella, Netto needs some alone time," said Laika, plucking up the small boy. When Riku turned around, he looked like he was on the verge of tears, causing Laika to look skyward with dread.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH! RIKU WANT NET-TOOOHHHHH!"

---

_(Location: SciLabs 4th floor)_

"YUUICHIRO! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD WE HAVE TO LEAVE!" Meijin yelled.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Hikari-hakase said, hurriedly collecting his things and splashing through the partially flooded room.

"What are you looking at Meijin?"

The other man stared in dismay at the scene before him.

"The ship's leaving! We're going to have to swim after it!" Meijin cried, climbing halfway through the window.

"Have you gone MAD? I can't put these in the water!" Hikari-hakase responded, pointing to the disks that stuffed his pockets.

"Forget about them! We have to leave!"

"But-"

"Do you even WANT to live?" Meijin shouted.

"Yes but, at any rate, we're not going to be able to swim fast enough…"

Meijin paused, gazing at the leaving boat like a caged bird. Sighing, he backed inside again, "I guess you're right…"

---

Enzan and Laika stood before a giant glass window on board the ship. Beyond the glass was Netto's comatose form, kept alive by respirator. It was odd to see him in such a state, after usually seeing the more heedless yet upbeat side of him.

"Wake up Netto…" Enzan found himself thinking, "I'll make you some curry…"

A squeak interloped with Enzan's thoughts and the gazes of the two young men met those of a man in a wheelchair who was bandaged around the head and in various other places. It was Yuuto, Daiki's elder brother who had been previously unconscious.

"That's your friend there, isn't it?"

"Yes," Laika replied, hopeful for any news about Netto's condition, "What about him?"

"It's nothing. I just recall hearing you three arguing…"

Both Enzan and Laika looked away at once suddenly finding the wall or a mar on their shoe exceedingly interesting.

"Well listen, I'm not here to embarrass you. I wanted to first of all thank you for rescuing us from our apartment. Secondly I need to tell you that in such a situation, where such inspiring young people who have the capacity to help, shouldn't be here fighting amongst themselves. I know personally that we should not contend with one another until it is too late."

The crippled man smiled, misty-eyed.

"Yuuto-san, did something…er, happen?" Enzan asked.

"You know my little brother Daiki right? It all started with one little quarrel, one among siblings…you know what I mean…"

_"DAIKI, GIVE ME BACK MY BOOK! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"_

_A gleeful Daiki ran by clutching one of his brother's books to his chest._

_"Come and catch me, nii-sannn! Come and catch me!"_

_"Daiki, I can't play with you now! I have to study!"_

_The younger continued to giggle as Yuuto chased after him. Squealing, he ran faster when he saw his brother nearing._

_"I gotcha! Now gimme back my book!"_

_"NO!" cried the attention seeking Daiki. He wasn't quite ready to give up the fun._

_"Daiki, I already caught you! Now give it back!"_

_Daiki stuck his tongue out, "You cannot get it! You cannot get it!"_

_Infuriated, Yuuto grabbed Daiki's hand and attempted to pry his book back. After a few moments of tugging and squirming and struggle, Yuuto freed his textbook. But now it was Daiki's turn to be angry, and he chose to express it by biting into his brother's arm._

_"ITAI! DAIKI, WHAT THE HELL!"_

_Yuuto tore his hand away accidentally smacking Daiki in the process. The next few seconds multiplied more rapidly than amoebas before Yuuto's eyes (a/n: I LUV AMOEBAS:3)_

_"What…have…I…done…?"_

_In a flash, everything returned to normal speed. Daiki, with a look of hurt and distrust ran away before Yuuto could respond._

"I learned later that Daiki had run into the nearby woods, and was quite a wreck when we found him. The worst part is that I can't tell him a sorry that can properly express my regret; I just live with the guilt every day of my life, unable to forget. I can scream it into his ears till I'm blue in the face, but due to his mental condition, he'll most likely never understand."

---

_(Location: Akihara Elementary School)_

"When did it come to this?" Meiru wondered with her eyes closed beneath the plastic over cover, "I guess it began this morning…"

_"Ohayo, Mariko-sensei!"_

_"Ohayo, Meiru-chan," her teacher replied._

_"The storm is getting pretty bad, ne?"_

_"Indeed! I'm surprised they didn't cancel class…That means no extra time for Netto to actually do the homework!"_

_Meiru giggled, "That's for sure!"_

_BRIIINNNGG!_

_"Let's just hope that things get better then…for all of our sakes."_

"That sure didn't happen," Meiru thought wryly.

_"Attention students, we have received word from the Board of Education stating that the storm has gotten progressively worse, and have therefore decided to discontinue class-"_

_Cheers broke out._

_"-However, no one is to return home because the floodwaters have risen so that it is hazardous to return home on your own. Please now proceed to higher ground in an orderly fashion."_

_The cheers ceased immediately, converted to groaning and shouts of protest._

---

Netto slowly became aware of himself and opened his eyes to meet an unfamiliar ceiling. He also noted that the room was lit only by pale streaks of moonlight, and that there was an unremitting swaying under him.

"I must be…on the ship…" he decided. He confirmed the thought when he remembered himself dive towards SciLabs in search of his father. Faintly, he also recalled a certain figure donning red, black and green, swimming towards him before darkness overcame his memory.

"Arigatou, Enzan," he murmured.

Propping himself up onto his elbows, he was surprised to see someone he knew other than himself awake.

"Yuuto-san?"

"Hello Netto-kun. How are you feeling?"

"Um, alright I guess. I'm a bit on the weaker side, but I'm sure I'll get stronger soon enough, right?"

"I meant emotionally…"

Netto's eyebrows furrowed, "Nani?"

"I overheard a bit of your argument earlier…"

"Oh…that…"

"It's alright with me if you don't want to talk about it," Yuuto offered.

Netto chewed over the thought for a moment.

"Well, it wasn't really me who should have been feeling like that. I don't blame Enzan for what he said, cause I think I would have been worse in his shoes. And Enzan's been through so much in the past…but still…I can't help feeling like I wish I could just…let go, and refuse to care. Wouldn't that be so much easier? I mean, we don't have a Dimensional Area that will protect us or anyone from the storm, and we can't cross fuse, so we can't really help all that much…"

"I see…well, have a chat with some of your neighbors. Maybe you'll learn something…I've got a few pills to take." Yuuto turned in his wheelchair and left the room.

A study looking man with bandages over his eyes and arm cleared his throat.

"So old Yuuto wants you to talk to us, eh?" The man smirked.

Netto looked over at the man awkwardly.

"What um…what happened to you?"

"Personally I haven't been through all that much. But it's the ones that I failed to help…When the storm began, I thought nothing of it. Then the floodwaters began to rise, but everyone at home was asleep. My brother, my old mother and father -they were all asleep upstairs, so of course, I went to go wake them up. We all headed to the roof and decided to wait for help to come. It hits us then, that we need food if we're gonna stay up there, so I went and tried to be all heroic, and I climbed back in the flooding house. I got the food without much trouble, but then I got scared when I heard a loud crack above me. Running back outside with food from our fridge, I find out that my family is dead and killed by a tree that fell on top of the roof. Dead. Just like that, Netto. Things like this make a man realize how valuable life is, and how thoughtless some men can be. I should have stayed up there and protect them, warn them that the tree was falling…"

"Wow…that's tough…" Netto thought, "At least there's still hope for Mama and Papa to be alive still…"

"I decided that I had to make up for my stupidity. I had to go help other people for Kaa-san's sake, Tou-san's sake, for Nii-san…It was my responsibility to save other people's lives. So after I arrived at the rescue destination, I volunteered myself to help with the rescue team. I got a bit scratched up, but I feel clean, if you know what I mean…This feeling I get from helping people, it makes me feel so selfish, and yet it's also helping other people…"

The man smiled faintly, as if he was in no pain at all.

Netto sat in awe. It certainly had not been that man's fault that his family died, but yet he blamed himself and risked his life to save others and attempt to appease his conscience. Pangs of guilt invaded Netto after he recalled what he had said earlier.

"_I can't help feeling like I wish I could just…let go, and refuse to care. Wouldn't that be so much easier?"_

There was a small patter of feet.

"Aichi-san, have you seen Mama?" a small girl inquired. In her right arm, she held an under-stuffed teddy bear. She wore a plain yellow dress over a white shirt, and she resembled quite well, a small, lost angel. With aquamarine eyes, she gazed, seeking an answer.

The man smiled pityingly. (a/n: doink. Is that a word?)

"Mama went away for a while. I don't think she's going to be coming back for a while…but we're here to take care of you, okay?"

"Did I make Mama mad?" the girl asked with watering eyes.

"No, no, it's not your fault. You didn't make Mama mad…she just…had to go away for a while…for, for business…"

The girl pouted and turned to Netto, unsatisfied with the answer.

"Have you seen Mama?"

Netto bit at his lip.

"Iie, sorry."

"Aww…Tell me if you see her, ne?"

Netto smiled.

"Certainly, **shoujo!"**

**The girl giggled, "My name's not shoujo! My name's Kohana!"**

**Shooting Netto a toothy grin, the small child tottered away again.**

**"Her mother passed on when the house got struck by lightning and caught fire. She was found floating in a small metal basin nearby, and we suspected that her mother could not escape the burning house, but decided to rescue her child instead."**

"Poor thing…" Netto muttered.

Things settled down a bit after that, as people settled back asleep.

"I have to get better soon," Netto thought, "So I can help more people. I need to find more people to help no matter what. I have to care about these people more than my own life; and I have to be willing to sacrifice myself to help anyone. So be safe Mama, Papa, Meiru-chan, Meijin-san…Be safe, I'm coming."

---

Meiru closed her eyes again and snuggled just a bit closer to Hikari-san.

"Be safe, Netto-kun."

---

Meijin and Hikari-hakase settled down in a corner with the few provisions they could muster from the nearby office cubicles.

"Be safe, Netto-kun."

---

Enzan and Laika sat outside of the hospital with Riku asleep on Laika's lap.

"Be safe, Hikari."

"Be safe, Netto."


	6. Chapter 6: Two More

_Disclaimer: Do I own this? Is that a definite answer or is that something unfathomable? Perhaps it is more abstract than we believe it tobe...Or perchance it is a rhetorical question? Maybe we'll just never know... or maybe, you might realize that the maker of Rockman.exe doesn't have the name "grandmaster p" hm...either way..._

_>.> I...am so sorry...I have been a lazy bum and I haven't written for a while...again...I would also like to take this opportunity to apologize for the people who have updated and that I have neglected. I still love you all and your stories, but honestly, I haven't been on fanfiction for a while...:bows head shamefully: I also want to thank a few reviewers...you have inspired me to get off my lazy rear and write this...ya...so anyways. on with the story...? hehe...u_

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Signs of Life  
Chapter 6: Two More **_

"Meiru-chan! The raft's leaking!" Netto's mother cried. Meiru woke up with a start, to find that her feet were practically submerged in the flooding waters around her.

"We'll have to throw off the cover, it's weighing down the raft!" Meiru shouted over the brewing storm.

Haruka simply nodded and began pulling the cover away, and with Meiru, they tossed it overboard. But the problem was still unsolved. Looking around for resources, they saw a several glass jars and plastic bottles near where a convenience store was submerged. The problem now was how to attach them to the raft.

"Hikari-san, do you think the convenience store under there will have some rope we could use?" Meiru asked, glancing at the turbulent waters below.

"Yes, but Meiru-chan you aren't-"

With a splash, Meiru dove into the water and into the underwater store. Netto's mother immediately looked over shouting,

"MEIRU! COME BACK! IT'S TOO DANGEROUS!"

Her cries were unheard, and seeing that Meiru was hoping to solve their predicament, Haruka decided she would contribute, and swam over to where the cans and bottles were located, and proceeded in collecting enough to buoy the raft.

Meanwhile, Meiru brought her arms before her and swept them outward as in a breast stroke until she reached the doorway of the convenience store. There, she reached for the door and tugged at it fiercely only to find it locked. Meiru gave a frustrated sigh, accidentally letting out a vital portion of air. Grabbing a semi-heavy rock, she swam back to the surface and treaded water while she caught her breath again. She then drew in a long breath before allowing the rock to pull her back down again.

With this rock, she also smashed through the window and swam through. Fortunately, this was a store she knew and without hesitation, swam to the second aisle where she groped around for a role of thick rope. The dark environment in combination with the water blurred her vision and her capability to see.

When she reached the surface, she found Netto's mother with gathered bottles onto the raft. They exchanged a smile between them before tying the rope onto the bottle and the raft.

---

Meijin sat at a desk with his head propped up by his hand. He sighed out of boredom, "Perhaps it was better that we missed that boat...we're dry, on solid ground, we have...some food," he glanced over at their stash of chips, candy bars and sodas that they procured from the nearby vending machines. Finally he looked over at Yuuichiro who was typing away at his computer with his brows knitted firmly together. And yet Meijin knew he was much more content than he would be if he was on a boat without a computer and work to do.

"And of course...Yuuichiro's occupied," Meijin finished.

---

"You mean we JUST missed him?" Laika demanded. They stood just outside of the hospital section and had caught up someone who was just leaving.

"Sorry boys," the man named Aichi replied, "He fell back asleep."

"Let's come back later then, Laika," said Enzan. He then turned to the man who had addressed them, "Please let us know if he gets back up again."

"Will do," Aichi replied.

_On another part of the ship..._

"Captain, there seems to be a survivor or two over there," said the first mate.

The addressed person took out a pair of binoculars and through the sheets of rain was able to see two women unconscious on a raft. What he found most peculiar were the bottles that surrounded the raft and kept it up. It was an inventive idea, he thought.

"Alright then, let's go over there," he said, steering the boat towards the raft.

They arrived alongside the raft shortly, and a small group of civilians brought them up and to the hospital section of the boat, near where Netto was.

_Back to Netto..._

There were footsteps. Ones of someone who took very short strides and stepped quite heavily. And that someone tripped. Netto grinned inwardly as he lay on the bed, not yet ready to open his eyes. Suddenly the footsteps stopped behind him, and Netto's curiosity got the better of him and he opened his eyes and sat up slowly.

"Net-toh...?" he heard a small voice say. He was immediately after knocked back down with an enthusiastic, "NET-TOHHHH!"

"R-riku?" Netto asked, with surprise at the small boy that had just tackled him.

"NET-TOH!"

Laika and Enzan ran in at that point, "Riku! So that's where he went!"

They then stopped when they realized that their comrade was awake again.

"Netto, you're up..."

Netto glanced over at the two that had just entered and grinned, "Hm, you think so?" he asked sarcastically.

Enzan and Laika each allowed a fragment of a smile to appear on their faces. They were both too relieved to see their friend again to have the heart to come back with a retort to defend their pride.

For a moment, there was a slightly awkward moment between them before Laika shifted uncomfortably and then finally spoke up.

"Ano...Enzan, gomen...for eh, hitting you..."

Enzan's cerulean eyes widened for a moment in surprise before they softened again in understanding.

"Aa. I'm sorry as well for taking my frustration from work out on you guys."

Netto smiled with Riku on his lap.

"Although I must say," Laika continued, "I still think you deserved it."

Enzan blinked, "NANI?"

Laika merely smirked while Netto burst out laughing.

"Everything's almost back to normal," Netto thought happily, "So what's happened since I was out?" he asked aloud.

Enzan thought a moment before answering, "Well...we did pick up two more survivors that you might be interested in visiting...they're in the ward over there." He motioned to the room across the hall.

Netto nodded with a smile and made note to visit them later, because now was time to eat, and he was hungry. (a/n: hehe Netto and his priorities...-.-)

---

So after thoroughly filling every inch of his empty stomach and then some, Netto began heading back to the hospital ward. Riku in the meantime refused to detach himself from Netto and so he had to drag him about.

"Riku," Netto started.

"Hai!" Riku answered staring up at Netto with large grey-blue orbs.

"Do you want to go play?"

"Un! Let's go, Net-toh!" Riku cried enthusiastically. He then extricated himself from Netto and began pulling at his arm, "Hurry Net-toh! We have to go play!"

"Do you even know where we're going...?" Netto asked to un-hearing ears.

Eventually they arrived back at the hospital ward, where they found Kohana, the girl who had been orphaned due to the storm. Contrary to his enthusiastic and surefooted display earlier, Riku suddenly ducked behind Netto upon entry. Cautiously, he peered out at the girl that stood there.

"Who's that?" Kohana asked, pointing at Riku.

"This is Riku..." Netto replied. He turned around in hopes of plucking Riku out from behind him, but the small boy shrunk back behind him. For a moment, Netto looked like a dog trying to chase its tail, but Kohana intervened by walking directly up to Riku.

"My name's Kohana. Let's be friends, ne?" She grabbed Riku's hand and pulled him along although, Netto noted, Riku didn't look back once and didn't seem to put up much resistance either. Smiling at another mission accomplished, Netto turned to see who the survivors Enzan mentioned were. As he walked over, his mind was flooded by who the two potentially could be.

"Could it be Mama or Papa? Or maybe it's Ms. Mari..." he shook his head, "She would have to be with everybody at school."

He grinned at the thought of all of his classmates stuck at school with Ms. Mari and was suddenly struck with gratitude for his Net Savior badge. His thoughts were interrupted however, when he realized he was at the door. Netto placed a hand on the metal doorknob and the unexpectedly cold surface caused a chill to run down his arm. Leaning forward, he pushed open the door quietly to find a room with two hospital beds. He tiptoed over and from a few feet away, he could recognize the faces.

"Mama, and Meiru-chan?" he thought. Netto was of course very glad to see them alive, but he couldn't help being struck by how pale and exhausted the both of them looked. Pulling over a chair, Netto proceeded to wait for them to awaken, watching their slow breaths to make sure they didn't slip away.

---

"Riku, let's play hide and go seek, okay?" Kohana stated. The small boy nodded eagerly and stared, not quite knowing what to do.

"You're it!" Kohana cried. Riku looked perplexed, and when she started walking away, he followed her.

"What are you doing?" Kohana asked, "You're supposed to count to thirty with your eyes closed and then come look for me, silly!"

"Ano..." he walked back to the room they were in, and started counting, "One...two...three...four..."

Giggling, Kohana scrambled away to look for a hiding place.

---

Netto had fallen asleep only to be awakened by someone entering the room giggling. Soon after, he heard a muffled, "Two ten eight, two ten nine... three tens!"

"Kohana?" he asked quietly.

"SHH! Don't tell Riku I'm here okay?" she squealed as she ran under Meiru's bed.

All of the sudden noise woke up the two sleepers.

"Netto-kun?" Haruka whispered, unbelievingly.

"Mama!" Netto responded and rushed to her bedside wrapping his arms around her in an embrace.

"Netto-kun, I'm so glad you're okay...I couldn't find you when I went over to the school, and then Meiru-chan came out to help me...and...we were so worried, Netto-kun..." his mother began weeping.

"I was worried about everyone too, Mama..." Netto replied.

Netto pulled away first, "Do you want anything to eat?"

"It's alright, Netto-kun. Thank you."

Meiru now sat up, "So how did we get here, Netto?"

"Meiru-chan, you're okay too!" Netto said happily, "From what I know, you two were some survivors they found yesterday and I'm guessing you've been unconscious since then. Enzan knows more about this."

The door opened for the third time that day, this time with a teary Riku.

"Net-toh, I lost Kohana! I don't wanna play anymore."

Netto grinned before saying, "Well why don't you look around a bit more, I betcha she's really close by..."

There was a scuffling beneath Meiru's bed. Unaware that there was someone under her bed, Meiru pulled away her blankets to reveal a crouching Kohana.

"HEY!" Kohana cried indignantly.

"I found you!" Riku declared victoriously.

"No you didn't! She cheated!" Kohana pointed an accusing finger at Meiru.

The two children scurried out of the room to go play another game, leaving Netto, Meiru and Haruka alone again.

"So after this morning, what happened to you guys?" Netto asked.

Haruka answered, "Well, I was going to deliver your lunch, which you left on the kitchen counter again-"

Netto reached behind his head and laughed nervously.

"-But you had gone off somewhere on a mission again. Of course I didn't know that, and I found your class as they were going to a higher level. Meiru was there, and so I asked her where you were. Somehow we got separated from the rest of your class, and found ourselves floating away from the school. Fortunately, we were able to make a raft of sorts, and we stayed like that until we were found!"

"And believe me, that wasn't easy!" Meiru chimed in, "So what happened with you so far?"

"Well..." Netto began.

---

They continued to share their stories and concerns until it came time to eat again. At that time Netto went off to find Laika and Enzan, both of which he had not heard from since they last spoke. The duo weren't on the deck, nor anywhere else that Netto looked. He finally stopped to ask the captain of the ship.

"I'm not quite sure, but they asked me where we'd be at nine o'clock tonight, so I told them we'd prolly be at Neffern Street. Then they kinda got out on our spare motorboat..."

"And you let them?" Netto asked incredulously, "Crap...they're probably out there helping other people out and what am I doing here?"

He paused a moment and looked back at the captain, "Well thanks anyways."

With that, Netto returned to the company of Meiru and Haruka. He decided that he would follow Enzan and Laika the next day in helping others whether they liked it or not.

---

True to the captain's word, the sound of a motorboat approaching could be heard at about nine o'clock pm. On the boat was Enzan, Laika, and a few people they must have picked up along the way.

"Why'd you guys leave without me?" Netto questioned them when they got back on board.

"Well hello to you too, Netto!" Enzan greeted sarcastically.

"You looked like you needed to catch up with Meiru and your mother, and...I...was bored," Laika frankly replied.

Netto sighed, "Well next time, I'm coming too, okay?"

"Did you feel left out, Netto?" Enzan teased.

"Uh, no. I just..."

"You just...?"

"I made a resolution, alright? I promised myself that I'd help more people until everyone had at least received some kind of help."

"I see."

"Netto-kun!" cried a certain pink-haired girl who came running over, "Oh welcome back, Laika and Enzan! Ano, Netto-kun, Riku was looking for you...It seems that he is too drowsy to play anymore..." Meiru giggled.

"Alright, I'm coming," he turned back to Laika and Enzan, "You guys wanna come?"

Laika shook his head, "It's fine, thanks. I think I'm just going to go to my bunk."

"Yeah," said Enzan, "I think I'll do the same."

Netto looked slightly disappointed, but soon recovered, "Well see ya tomorrow then."

The two nodded and turned for their rooms.

* * *

_so eh...good? bad? either way...please review:D_


	7. Chapter 7: La Vie

_Disclaimer: I pwn only this piece of literature and not the characters or the mass corporation known as Rockman.exe. Thank you._

_Last update: 6/12/06. Wow. It's nearly that date flipped now. 12/9/06. Wow. Well I'm pretty sure nobody remembers this lame and old story or its plot, so I better just end it. And uh, methinks I'll stop writing here just because:_

_I'm no good at it_

_I never update_

_So this will probably be my last update ever. It was fun while it lasted. Thanks to everyone for their support especially jhvh777 for being my beta and a friend, Yian-san for being my personal mei-mei, and Rose Kitsune for being my first reviewer._

_Without further ado, I present my last chapter.

* * *

_

_**Signs of Life  
**Chapter 7: La vie_

"Net-toh-nii-CHAANNN!!" was all Netto heard the next morning before a petite body landed squarely on his abdomen

"What in..!" cried Netto as he thrashed about his sheets.

"Heeheehee, ohayo Netto-nii-chan!" Riku giggled happily bouncing up and down.

"Nii-chan…?"

"Looks like you've got yourself a little brother, Netto-kun," said a different voice accompanied by 3 pairs of footsteps.

"Meiru-chan? And Laika and Enzan? What's going on?" Netto inquired.

"Silly boy," Meiru teased, "You said you'd go help out with the rescues today, remember?"

"Oh right!" said Netto, brightening out of his confusion.

"Where are you going, nii-chan?" asked Riku meeting his large blue-gray orbs with Netto's brown ones.

Netto smiled, "We're going onto another boat to look for anyone who needs help! Maybe we'll even find your mom!"

"Wai!" cried Riku happily hopping off of Netto's bed and running off.

"Matte, Riku-" Netto called after, but Riku had slipped off.

"Well then, let's proceed if you please, Netto," said Enzan.

"H-hai."

Not long after, Laika, Enzan, Netto and Meiru were ready to leave when there came a small cry.

"Matte, onegai, Netto-nii-chan!"

From the cabins below scrambled Riku encumbered like a tiny mule with a floatie, a rope, and anything else his toddler brain believed could be beneficial.

Meiru giggled as Netto struggled for words.

"Riku-kun, where are you going?" he managed.

"Imanna go find Mama!" said Riku, putting down a thing or two to reach into his pocket and pull out a piece of a locket. In the small frame was the face of a lovely looking woman. Her long brown hair hung delicately around her gentle face and she sat erect and proud.

Netto took the locket in his hand and noted this. He then turned back to Riku, squatting down to the smaller boy's height.

"Gomen, Riku-kun, I can't take you with us because it's really dangerous… Aww come on, don't be like that!"

Riku's wide eyes began to water and his lips to tremble.

"But I'll tell you what, if you let me borrow this, I'll look for your mom and come back as soon as we find her, okay?"

"Nii-chan…" his voice was a pitch higher from his melancholy, and he threw himself at Netto in an embrace.

"I'll be back soon, okay?" he said to Riku before leaving the boy in his mother's care.

Before long, they found themselves on the boat with a few survivors that they'd found on board. Laika halted the boat before a large building.

"Scilabs?" Netto inquired, "You mean-"

"Aa," said Enzan, "Let's look for your dad."

Netto smiled before grabbing a rope with a grappling hook at the end of it. The four of them scaled up and into the closest window.

"Papa?" Netto called.

"Hikari-hakase!"

"Hikari-san?"

There was only silence as their reply.

"Maybe the next floor," said Netto anxiously.

"Don't worry," Meiru comforted, "Well find him, okay?"

"I'm not Riku, Meiru-chan," Netto replied.

"Hey!" Meiru said, slapping him lightly on the shoulder, "I'm just trying to help!"

He smiled for her and she noticed with satisfaction that he did indeed calm down a bit. They continued on in this fashion for a few levels.

Hikari-hakase, meanwhile a floor above awoke to hear thrashing below.

"Oi, Meijin, did you hear that?"

"Aa," said the other who had already tensed.

"What do you think: friend or foe?"

"Naturally, I'd hope they're friends, but as a precaution…" Meijin picked up a keyboard and unplugged it from the computer.

"Meijin, is that really necessary?"

"Better safe than sorry," he recited.

Seeing some truth in his argument, Hikari-hakase also took up a keyboard and awaited the other party near the door.

"Did you hear something?" Laika whispered to the other three.

"Yeah…"

"They could be robbers scavenging for money or important files," Enzan spoke, "We should approach with care."

"Or it could just be my father," said Netto excitedly.

"Either way," Laika replied, "I think it's better to be cautious."

"Do we have to?" Netto whined.

Meiru hushed him and the four made their way up the stairs.

"They're coming!" Meijin whispered.

The two watched as the door-knob slowly turned and they leapt upon the intruder.

"Papa!" the intruder cried in alarm, "It's just me, your Netto-kun! Hey! I'm your son, dammit!"

Hikari-hakase and Meijin retreated and found that it was indeed Netto.

"Eh, gomen, gomen, Netto-kun," said Hikari-hakase.

"I'm your own son! Guys did you see that?" Netto asked his emerging comrades, while rubbing a sore on his head, "My own father attacked me!"

"Enough, Netto-kun! I said I was sorry," said Hikari-hakase.

"It can't hurt that badly if you're still so animated, Netto," Enzan reprimanded, "Kami-san knows that a bulldozer could plow you over the head and you'd still be fine."

Laika and the others chuckled while Netto muttered something about Enzan being stunningly hilarious.

"So what happened to you two?" asked Enzan who was on a social roll.

"Not much real-"

"Well!" said Meijin with a huff, "This man here refused to leave without the oh-so-precious Johnson report or every ounce of data in Scilabs and …"

He continued ranting while they found their way back down to the boat where the few other passengers were waiting.

"Where to?" Laika inquired.

Enzan shrugged but Netto had somewhere in mind.

"Let's go back around where we found Riku. You know, Enzan, where we met up?"

"That was Aster Street. It's just ahead."

They meandered around for a while until they arrived.

"Over there!" said Meiru pointing to a window where there was a middle aged woman waving a pillowcase at them. Laika steered over to the window and Enzan took the liberty of bringing her back down.

"It's alright now, ma'am. Was anyone else in that building?"

The woman paused for a moment, "Yes. Yes, I believe there was a woman next door. She was screaming a lot before … somebody's name and then there was just silence. I don't know if she's still there but it's worth a try."

"Thanks for your help ma'am. I'll check it out."

"Wait, Enzan," said Netto, "I'm coming too. If anything happens to you, I'll back you up."

Enzan nodded, leaving Laika and Meiru to tend to the passengers. He reached behind him to pull Netto in before hopping down from the window. There was a stool there apparently to evade the floodwaters that had just reached that apartment level.

Netto on the other hand landed with a splash into the water and roller-bladed across the room, leaving a small wake behind him.

"C'mon Enzan, don't just stand there! It's just water… unless you're afraid of that!"

Frowning, Enzan stepped down from the stool and followed after.

"I'm getting déjà-vu," said Enzan when they reached the door, "I think you should go first."

"Nani?! No way!" Netto protested.

Enzan had anticipated this, however and opened the door, pushing the brunette forward. And sure enough, a figure came flying towards him with a frying pan that hit him on the crown of his head.

"NOT AGAIN!" Netto shouted as he held his head painfully.

Quickly, Enzan took action and tackled the other figure.

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" screeched the attacker.

"Ma'am, it's alright! We're here to help you," said Enzan, dodging another swipe with the frying pan.

"Yeah I'm sure she's really convinced," said Netto who got up and looked at the woman closely. Her hair was completely disheveled and her cheeks were gaunt. Upon closer inspection, her eyes were rimmed with red and lacked sleep. Yet Netto sensed something familiar about her. Nevertheless, he rejoined the brawl and managed to arrest the frying pan away from her. Enzan took the opportunity to take out his PET and display his Net Saver hologram.

"Ma'am," he panted, "It's alright. We're Net Savers and we'll take you to where you can be protected, properly fed and rested."

The woman made an animalistic growl and turned to Netto, lunging suddenly. She apparently paid no heed to Enzan's words or actions.

"What the-"

Netto was caught totally off guard and in the process, the contents of his pockets spilled out on the carpet. Sprawled on the floor were a few zennies, a wrapper, and the half-broken locket Riku gave him. He felt the woman's cold, bony hands wrap around his neck.

"Get…" she growled, "the HELL out of my house!!"

Netto squirmed and Enzan again got ready to tackle her. The woman's grip suddenly loosened however, as the glinting locket caught her eye. She crawled over to it and snatched it up, looking at it closely. Her eyes narrowed into slits.

"Where did you get this…?"

Netto chocked and gasped before sitting up, "From a boy. What's it to you?"

"This…is…mine… Take me to the boy," she ordered.

Netto looked over at Enzan with a bewildered look but Enzan simply nodded. Cooperation regardless of motivation was required at this point. They emerged from the window again onto the boat although the woman stood distinctly apart from the others. With a white fist, she clasped the locket and stared barbarically into the warter.

"Was your neighbor always like this?" Enzan asked the middle aged woman he rescued previously.

The other shook her head vehemently, "She was a perfect, loving mother of the cutest little boy. Something msut have happened to her son," she confirmed.

"Was his name Riku?"

Both Netto and the disheveled woman turned.

The middle aged woman thought for a moment.

"Yes."

"Is everything alright ma'am?" Meiru asked the presumed mother of Riku. She shrunk away and returned to the railing again.

"Riku…riku…" she murmured.

((Flashback))

"Mama, mama, can I play outside today?"

"Riku, it's raining…"

"I know Mama. I wanna go Julio's house. We'll play inside. I'll be good, Mama, I promise!"

"Alright Riku. But come back if anything goes wrong okay?"

((End Flashback))

"Riku…"

They met up with the boat again and Netto's mother sat bundled with a sleeping Riku in her arms. As they got on board, she smiled at Netto.

"How'd it go?" she asked, "Riku wouldn't go to sleep until I promised I'd wait for you guys here with him."

Netto smiled back weakly, "It was alright. We found Papa and Meijin-san, and may have found his mother."

"Your father's back?" questioned Netto's mother, sitting up straight.

"I sure am!" said a voice behind Netto.

"Yuuichiro!"

"It's nice to be back, dear." He kissed her lightly on the forehead, at which Netto scrunched his face up in disgust.

Enzan meanwhile led the passengers on board including their last passenger.

"Where is Riku?" she demanded.

"Hold on ma'am, he's on this ship."

She grasped the front of his shirt roughly, "WHERE IS HE?!??!"

Laika intervened, "Excuse me, but if you please, Riku is right over there."

Haggardly, the woman looked Laika in the eye as if to thank him, and abruptly turned, walking towards them as if she was a lioness stalking her prey.

"Riku…" she breathed, looking at the child in Haruka's arms. She stood awkwardly before her and pointed at the boy.

"Riku…"  
"Is this your son?" Haruka asked.

The woman nodded slowly and held out her arms.

"Riku, wake up! Your mother's here!"

Netto's mother handed over the child, and the woman took him in her arms.

"Mama?" he said with a slightly froggy voice. Riku yawned and rubbed his eyes to see his mother's distorted face.

"M-ma…ma…? You're…"  
"That's right… your mama, Riku! It's your mother! Don't you recognize me?"

This wasn't the mother Riku knew and he squirmed to get down.

"Riku, where are you going? It's your mother!"

He continued squirming but that only made her clutch at him closer.

"Itai! Let go! Help!" he cried, squirming harder. Finally he freed himself and ran, looking back at her with a petrified face.

"Riku! It's your mother!" she cried, dangling the chain from the locket that held her picture. The boy faltered and could not move when she advanced towards him.

"…Mama…?"

"Yes, Riku-kun, it's me, Mama…" she said through a smile that looked more like a grimace. Gradually, Riku accepted his mother's embrace, although he was slightly suspicious.

Netto watched the whole scene from a distance, and after seeing the resolution he turned to the waters. The sun was out, shining upon the crests of each wave. The waters themselves were dark beneath and held some secret. But that is how everything in this world is… isn't it? There is glory on the surface, but behind glory, there were many sacrifices made. For happiness to occur to some people, others had to give into sadness. For Riku to be reunited with his mother, Netto would have to step back; for there to be victory, there must be defeat, and where life, there must also be death.

A small hand fitted itself into his own, and he glanced over to see Meiru standing by his side.

"Don't worry, Netto-kun," she spoke, "Riku won't forget about you. And even if he does, you've still got me. And the rest of us here."

He smiled and hugged her.

"Thank you, Meiru-chan."

But the contrasts between struggle and pain, and caring and love were all pieces of evidence… signs, you may call them, of life.

THE END

* * *

_Horrible ending. I know. But it doesn't matter because I'm done. And it was a horrible story anyways. What a coincidence! A horrible way to end a horrible story! Well whatever. Flame away. Or maybe I'll write an epilogue or something. Meh. Let me know what you think._


End file.
